Khaleda’s lawyers receive 1174 page copy of verdict

Dhaka. Feb 19 – Dhaka. Feb 19 – BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia’s lawyer yesterday received the certified copy of the judgment of Zia Orphanage Trust graft case filed against six persons including the BNP Chief. This paved the way for the BNP chief to file appeal with the High Court against the lower court verdict.Mokarram Hossain, bench clerk of the Special Judge Court-5 of Dhaka, officially supplied the 1174-page verdict to Khaleda Zia’s counsel Sanaullah Miah.
On February 8, Khaleda Zia, three times Prime Minister of the country was sentenced to five years’ rigorous imprisonment (RI) in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.
The special court also sentenced Khaleda’s son and BNP Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman, and four others to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and with a fine of Tk 2.10 crore each.
The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case with Ramna Model Police Station in July 2008, accusing Khaleda Zia and the five accused of misappropriating over Tk 2.1 crore that had come from a foreign bank as grants for orphans.
On February 11, the special court directed the jail authorities to provide Khaleda Zia with first-class division as per the jail code as well as allowing her house help to stay with her in the prison.
An appeal is likely to be filed with the High Court on Tuesday seeking bail for the BNP chief in connection with the case as Khaleda’s counsels have already taken preparation to file appeal against the lower court verdict in the meantime.
Now, they will just include some extra grounds after reading out the verdict, according to the sources.
Soon after receiving the copy of the verdict, Advocate Masud Ahmed Talukder, one of the counsels for BNP chief, told media that the appeal would be filed on Tuesday with the High Court against the lower court verdict.
After receiving the copy of the verdict, the pro-BNP lawyers gathered at the former attorney general AJ Mohammad Ali’s chamber to take preparation for filing appeal with the High Court against the lower court verdict, sources said.
Some pro-BNP lawyers citing anonymity said that the appeal would be filed with the High Court today (Tuesday) against the lower court verdict seeking bail for the BNP chief in the case.
However, no one disclose the content of the verdict and ground of the appeal saying that the counsels of BNP chief would brief media after filing appeal on Tuesday.
Advocate Sanaullah Mia and Masud Ahmed Khan, received the certified copy of the verdict from the lower court officials yesterday afternoon around 4:15pm 11 days after the court had delivered the verdict in the case.
Mokarram Hossain, an assistant of the Special Judge Court-5 of Dhaka, provided the certified copy, which contained 1174 pages.
Earlier on February 10, the lawyers appealed to the court for the verdict’s certified copy to file bail petition for Khaleda.
“We will appeal with the High Court a day after of receiving the copy of the certified copy of the verdict as we need a day to take preparation of filing appeal against the lower court verdict,” Advocate Sanaullah Miah, one of the counsels for Khaleda, told The Independent recently. – Staff Reporter